February 04, 2008

Related Events

The ACLU of Indiana recognized supporters of civil liberties and raised awareness and funds for the organization during its annual dinner Nov. 13 in Indianapolis.

The evening included a tribute to Marion McKay Walley of Fort Wayne, who had donated to the organization through her estate. The ACLU of Indiana recognized her family members at the dinner; Walley was 93 when she died in March.

Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, received the Joan Laskowski Legislator of the Year Award for his lifelong support of civil liberties; Dr. Lucy Jane King of Indiana University Medical School received the Volunteer of the Year Award; and Dino Sierp, field organizer for Indiana Equality, received the Chris Gonzales Award for her role in advancing civil liberties for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender residents of Indiana.

The keynote speaker for the evening was journalist and author Juan Williams, who has been featured on National Public Radio and Fox.

"My thoughts, based on feedback I received, was that this was a very, very successful event in terms of attendance, participation, donations, and because there were lots of young people there," said Gilbert Holmes, the ACLU of Indiana's interim executive director. "We had many in college or in law school; that was wonderful. I think it serves notice that the ACLU of Indiana is enjoying a resurgence of interest and growth. I would call it a pivotal event."

Holmes said the organization is in the planning stages for a few spring events and encourages those who are interested to visit the Web site, www.aclu-in.org, for more information.

Rebecca Berfanger joined the Indiana Lawyer staff in 2006. She typically covers law schools, bar associations, pro bono and social justice issues, and interesting things lawyers do when they're not working.

She reported for legal publications in Boston from 2001 to 2004, and earned her MSJ in magazine publishing from Northwestern University in 2005. She has taught magazine publishing as an adjunct professor at her alma mater Ball State University, where she majored in French and journalism and graduated with honors in 2000.

The Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has honored her work annually since 2006. In 2008, she received the ACLU of Indiana's Media Defender of Liberty award.

She has also written for non-legal publications while living in Indianapolis, Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.